How to convert to mpeg2 at *target filesize*? (Possible FAQ)

[Colmino]

Can't seem to pin down info on this one. Obviously, DVD-Rs hold a certain predictable total bulk of data (4.7GB, supposedly). With this in mind, it seems to me it would make a heck of a lot more sense to tell conversion software that you want this amount of video to be converted into a file of this size, rather than specifying a CBR or VBR and letting it loose.

Currently, my plans for turning DV videos into DVD-R videos involves the following software:

* "Capture" software.. I forget what I'm going to use, but I expect the software that comes with WinXP suffices. Long as there's no re-encoding going on here.

* unknown editing software.. Perhaps Adobe Premiere. Recommendations welcome.

* Cinema Craft Encoder SP 2.66

* DVD Maestro, because it allows (gasp) subtitles, unlike pretty much everything else out there, and subtitles are something I definitely plan to take advantage of.

Now, I'm not positive about this, but it seems like the codec (CCE) is what would (or would not) allow somebody to set a target filesize. I'd like to think that it does. But perhaps not, or perhaps this is something some other software is capable of handling. Anyone know?

[sitlet]

use the bitrate calculator on this site and it will allow you to input your file length and other things, and it will give you a bitrate so you can convert the video file to a mpg2 file.